So, ladybugs...

[highland145]

Kind of H&G and L&R so I decided on OT.

I've got a critter infestation on my camellias. 2 years ago, it cost $200 for the guy to spray. Plan B is ladybugs. They eat all kinds of pests. 1500 of 'em for ~$10. Good deal, right? But I'm wondering how many will get into the house and how much crap I'll be in with the wife. I could plead ignorance if it's really bad.

What does OT say?

 

[Mayne]

did an furnace install yesterday outside my city. I had 10 little black flies fly into my bad eye ball..atleast 30 down my throat. atleast its warm again.

 

[BxgJ]

Try it and tell us how it goes.

I do want to know how useful they are to buy, I've thought about getting some myself.

 

[WelshBloke]

Buying a 1000 ladybirds is pretty cool, I might get some delivered to work!

Weird fact. They call them Bishy Barney Bees here. It's weird.

 

[Mayne]

wtf

 

[Thebobo]

Get ladybugs and praying mantis eggs. The baby manti are so cool.

 

[Exterous]

It'll be fine. I promise

 

[Darwin333]

Better to ask forgiveness than permission I say and like you said you can always plead ignorance. It's a win/win.

 

[Stopsignhank]

Buying a 1000 ladybirds is pretty cool, I might get some delivered to work!

Weird fact. They call them Bishy Barney Bees here. It's weird.

 

[Stopsignhank]

Kind of H&G and L&R so I decided on OT.

I've got a critter infestation on my camellias. 2 years ago, it cost $200 for the guy to spray. Plan B is ladybugs. They eat all kinds of pests. 1500 of 'em for ~$10. Good deal, right? But I'm wondering how many will get into the house and how much crap I'll be in with the wife. I could plead ignorance if it's really bad.

What does OT say?

So you could get 30,000 lady bugs for the same price you paid the guy. Now that would be cool.

 

[lxskllr]

I'd go for it. I don't believe in widely broadcasting chemicals. If I must, I'd consider highly targeted application(say ants on my fuckin' counter), but I can't get too worked up about bugs. I'd change the flowers first.

 

[Darwin333]

So you could get 30,000 lady bugs for the same price you paid the guy. Now that would be cool.

Now that would be fun to sneak into Highlands house and set free after he lets them loose in the garden of course. Then we can send his wife a link to this thread and she will think it's all his fault.

 

[lxskllr]

A guy I used to work with put a mantis egg cluster in the back of a drawer as a prank at his old job. He said those things were everywhere. They're neat little critters. I always stop to check them out when I see one. Had one as a pet when I was a kid. It loved katydids.

 

[Mr.IncrediblyBored]

In all likelihood they'll just fly away over a few days to various other flower gardens and you'll just be $10 poorer.

 

[Jeeebus]

In all likelihood they'll just fly away over a few days to various other flower gardens and you'll just be $10 poorer.

This is generally true. We've probably released at least 20,000 ladybugs over the years, and they generally all but disappear within a week or so. That said, they do their job before moving on. We've had heavy scale and aphid infestations during mango season (when you generally don't want to be dousing fruit with chemicals) and they do a good job controlling that. As an added benefit, the kids (and us the parents) get a real kick out of thousands of them crawling around all over.

EDIT - don't know how well they do by you, but I've noticed that green lacewings are more effective than ladybugs and tend to stick around much longer.

 

[IronWing]

How many do you need?

 

[bbhaag]

I had a customer come in a couple of years ago with a similar situation. He had aphids on his prized roses and wanted to know how to get rid of them. He told me he had bought 1000 ladybugs off the internet to help control the aphids and when he released them they just all flew away haha.
Why are you paying someone $200 to spray your plants? Can't you just do it yourself for a lot less?

 

[Red Squirrel]

Would be funny if the order gets mixed up and it's 1,000 pregnant spiders instead.

 

[PliotronX]

Damn near all of the ladybugs will fly away to another location at first daybreak (supposed to dispense them at night so they crawl and feed because they mostly climb and fly during daytime). If the wife doesn't approve of the few that maybe might possibly get in the house, list off those alternatives with the pests and hiring someone to treat it.

 

[gorobei]

at 10$ it is a cheap enough experiment to see if you can get them to stick around.

Gardeners can use ladybugs in several different ways. Manipulative biological control involves using the domestic population of ladybugs and doing what’s necessary to capitalize on them. Augmentative biological control means augmenting the native population by adding to it with purchased ladybugs. Classical or inoculative biological control means that ladybugs not already present are released in hopes they will establish a population and can serve as pest control.

How many ladybugs do you need? Approximately 2,000 are enough for a small garden with 18,000 probably more than enough for a large garden.

Ladybugs are one of the few beneficial garden insects that can be stored in a refrigerator and will lie dormant provided they don’t freeze or dry out. They store well up to several weeks long.

Worried about your ladybugs flying away home? Reportedly spraying their backs with soda pop and water will “glue” their wings shut so they can’t fly. The sprayed-on solution will work for up to a week until it wears off. When you release the ladybugs can also make a difference. Try releasing them only in the late evening and before you liberate them, be hospitable and spray water on the plants in the area for them.

https://www.planetnatural.com/ladybugs-pest-control/

 

[Thebobo]

Ladybug! Ladybug!
Fly away home.
Your house is on fire.
And your children all gone.

All except one,
And that's little Ann,
For she crept under
The frying pan.

 

[highland145]

So you could get 30,000 lady bugs for the same price you paid the guy. Now that would be cool.

I'm thinking the neighbors will love me. Maybe not the funeral home next door but they're pretty quiet.

Now that would be fun to sneak into Highlands house and set free after he lets them loose in the garden of course. Then we can send his wife a link to this thread and she will think it's all his fault.

I'll just tell her that you like mayo and can't be trusted.

In all likelihood they'll just fly away over a few days to various other flower gardens and you'll just be $10 poorer.

Invited, you are, to my next party. :colbert;

How many do you need?

Fire. Lots of fire.

I had a customer come in a couple of years ago with a similar situation. He had aphids on his prized roses and wanted to know how to get rid of them. He told me he had bought 1000 ladybugs off the internet to help control the aphids and when he released them they just all flew away haha.
Why are you paying someone $200 to spray your plants? Can't you just do it yourself for a lot less?

One of them is banana shrub that's about 25' tall. Some shrub, eh? And I have no way to spray that.

 

[highland145]

did an furnace install yesterday outside my city. I had 10 little black flies fly into my bad eye ball..atleast 30 down my throat. atleast its warm again.

Thank God it wasn't your good eye. How would you post if you can't see?

 

[highland145]

It'll be fine. I promise

I'm not falling for that line again.

 

[highland145]

at 10$ it is a cheap enough experiment to see if you can get them to stick around.

https://www.planetnatural.com/ladybugs-pest-control/

Who knew...

Ladybugs are one of the few beneficial garden insects that can be stored in a refrigerator and will lie dormant provided they don’t freeze or dry out. They store well up to several weeks long.

Worried about your ladybugs flying away home? Reportedly spraying their backs with soda pop and water will “glue” their wings shut so they can’t fly. The sprayed-on solution will work for up to a week until it wears off.